


side by side, forever

by Another_Freak1258



Series: sometimes i am envious [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Snap, Intersex Loki, King Thor, Loki Feels, Loki making up (kinda) with the Avengers, M/M, New Asgard, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Post-Thor: Ragnarok, Pregnant Loki, Queen Loki, completely self-indulgent, creative liberty taken, no beta we die like men, tags will change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-03-26 18:39:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19011583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Another_Freak1258/pseuds/Another_Freak1258
Summary: Without the interruption of Thanos, Thor and Loki have much to arrange and decide when it comes to their kingdom. Asgard, for the first time since her conception, is without a home, a queen, and a heir. Thor’s working on amending all three of these problems, in that order.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn’t help myself—here’s my crack at a What-of AU where Thor and Loki rule New Asgard together & nobody dies <3

Despite his expressed fear of remaining trapped under Hulk’s consciousness, Bruce Banner rejoins them after mere days of traveling. A very reasonable amount of time, Thor thinks, in comparison to his Hulk’s time on Saakar. Bruce does not seem to think so, if his wide eyes and belligerent squawking are any tell. The scientist is calmed after an offer of soup, thankfully. Thor can’t afford antagonizing either sides of his angry comrade—it would not set a good example to his people if they witnessed a trusted ally attacking him. And perhaps more detrimental, a battle would damage the Statesman easily.

Bruce is muttering at his food across from him, surely complaining about his alter ego, when Thor feels a slender hand rest on his shoulder. “You are separate entities?”

Although Thor is usually the one startled by Loki’s sudden appearances, only Bruce spasms, unsteady fingers knocking the spoon around loudly in his bowl. “Ah?” he replies eloquently.

The solid weight of Loki’s hand is surprising to Thor, because his brother has made himself scarce wherever Hulk had the possibility of being. It’s clear Loki sees Bruce as less threatening, even if he has the capacity to become Hulk at any given moment. Still threatening enough to place a barrier between them, though, as if that would really make a difference.

“Your green friend,” Loki elaborates decidedly, giving Thor reason to believe he was eavesdropping.

“Yes,” Bruce answers. He fidgets nervously due to Loki’s presence, which Thor finds hilarious. “But I wouldn’t really call him my friend right now.” His self-pitying sigh is not funny.

“I owe you an incredible debt, friend Banner,” Thor reminds, nearly slamming the table with his palm out of respect. He thinks better of it at the last moment, Bruce probably wouldn’t appreciate it in his current state. “For helping me save my people.”

Bruce picks at his soup, shrugging. “That’s nice and all, but I could’ve been stuck gladiator-ing for who-knows-how-long if you hadn’t of snapped me out of it. So. Back at ya.” His eyes dart up to Loki before becoming downcast again. “What exactly is the plan now?”

Thor explains the ideal conditions of Asgard’s relocation after they reach Earth. Bruce is as skeptical of the thunderer’s optimism as Loki. Bruce’s expressions don’t do much to support Thor’s ambitions. “Earth politics are a bit more complicated than that,” the scientist says quietly, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. “You can’t really just... Set up shop.”

“I doubt your people are unfamiliar with colonialism,” Loki quips knowingly, making Thor wish he had paid more attention in Midgardian history.

“We are not _colonizing_ ,” Thor stresses when he notices Bruce’s unease increase tenfold. “Asgard will be separate from whatever nations she boarders. I do not see how this will be a difficult proposition for your own rulers.”

Bruce rubs between his eyes with generous pressure, reminding himself Thor probably knows of no other system than monarchy. And it’s not like Bruce knows the ins and outs of capitalism, but either way he’s not going to sit here and teach two thousand-some year old gods about the American government. “I’m not saying it’ll be impossible, but... Expect a big adjustment period. And not for the reasons you’re thinking.”

Evidently assured Bruce is not on the verge of throwing him across the mess hall, Loki finally sits down. He folds his hands elegantly. “We are a prosperous people. We are bringing farmers, architects. And your economy appears forgiving—this will fare well with your leaders, yes?”

Looking past the fact Bruce has never seen Loki talk like this, he shrugs hopelessly. “Listen I’m not, um. You’re asking the wrong guy?”

By the way he leans back, Thor can tell his brother is disappointed. Loki turns to him. “Midgard has minimum authority in space. When we reach it, I would advise cloaking this vessel and setting it for orbit. You and I can then travel back-and-forth until permanent residence is arranged with the mortals.”

“That is brilliant!” Thor exclaims excitingly, seeing his vision come to fruition after digesting Loki’s idea. “This is precisely why I haven’t hurled you into deep space.”

Loki’s left hand falls under the table and rubs Thor’s thigh suggestively. He raises a brow. “Precisely?”

Bruce is unaware of the exchange beyond the brothers’ disturbing facial expressions, but still interrupts them desperately, “No offense but I don’t see this going over very well.” It doesn’t need to be said that he’s referring entirely to Loki accompanying Thor.

“None taken,” Loki agrees, removing his hand.

“Loki has served his sentencing, and I am sure our comrades will accept him with time.” He claps his brother on the back. “Any feasible reparations will be carried out gladly!”

Unable to keep a straight face at the thunderer’s exuding positivity, Bruce smiles. Thor hasn’t acted like this in a long time. The team had attributed his increasingly apathetic behavior to maturation, but it’s now obvious it was the lack of Loki’s presence making Thor sadder than usual. Probably the lack of Loki in general. “I would talk to Tony first, he’s you’re best bet in... All this.” The man could certainly afford to buy a small country, anyway.

Loki chuckles, nostalgic. “Ah, yes. The one I threw out a window.”

 

Although Thor had never forgotten the gentle, delicate memories of his brother throughout the past few years of their fighting, it is still jarring to be reintroduced to the tender side of Loki. He walks lighter somehow, as if the weight he carried has been absolved, and styles his hair in long curls. He’s absolutely lovely, a more matured version of the brother he’s loved and cherished his entire life. “It is very embarrassing for me,” Thor jests as he runs his fingers through Loki’s thick, glossy hair. “For you to grow your hair so lovely when I have little to speak of.”

“My evil plan,” Loki laughs, leaning into the blond’s touch. His smile fades after a moment, and the trickster continues to stare out into the void of space through their bedroom window.

“What troubles you?” Thor sighs, trying to to sound too annoyed. He’s expecting Loki to—for the millionth time—tell Thor he’s worried about reaching Midgard. The answer he receives is not as such, at least not for the reasons Thor previously knew.

Loki leans even further into Thor, his pale fingers curling into the duvet under them. “We’ve been prepared for this our whole lives, leading Asgard... Maybe you more so than me, but,” Loki pauses playfully, “I remember how many lessons you begged me to help you with, after you sorely forgot to pay attention during class.”

Thor tries to think of something clever to say in response, but it’s true, he would have failed the majority of his classes if it weren’t for Loki’s patience. He turns Loki’s body around so that they are facing each other. He smiles thoughtfully. “And you are worried it was all for naught?”

“These are not the golden halls we grew up in, Thor. I...” Loki frowns, and it reaches his eyes, something Thor still isn’t used to. “By all means you are the Allfather, and I don’t see how you could possibly rule as such on Midgard... It is bittersweet.”

Thor agreed. When he imagined being King he thought he’d have a proper Coronation, Loki by his side, with all the included revelry. He envisioned himself on Asgard’s throne, conducting meetings with the Nines diplomats and politicians, and hosting a boisterous wedding for himself and his queen. The hand they’ve been dealt isn’t remotely close to his previous fantasies, but it was true that every good rule started with a war. That must count for something. “I would have things be different, too. But if it meant being without you, brother,” Thor grasps the brunette’s cold hands, “I would not trade.”

Ducking his head a bit, Loki‘s lips purse tightly. “Asgard has never been weaker,” he insists, ignoring Thor’s proclamation. “She is depleted, homeless, queen-less.”

Thor wonders if Loki is so used to disagreeing with him that he feels the need to be negative. “You hush,” Thor scolds playfully. “Speaking so rudely of my kingdom... I would have you made an example, if I had any sense.” That earns him a laugh from his little brother.

“At least you’re self aware.”

Gasping in feigned offense, Thor moves swiftly to pull Loki to the middle of their bed, pinning him. “Treacherous thing!” He turns his attention to the gorgeous neck primed for the taking, sucking and biting pink marks onto the skin. Loki squirms beneath him, moaning.

“How insatiable you are, my King,” Loki remarks breathlessly, words not unkind or sardonic. Thor is taken aback by his title coming from his brother’s typically jealous mouth, and he sits up. Loki seems terribly inconvenienced, asking, “Am I not allowed to exploit my shortcomings as a sexual kink?”

Thor acts more insulted than he has any to be, in Loki’s opinion. “You have no shortcomings to speak of!” He is more than ready to defend Loki’s reputation and skill set to none other than Loki himself. It’s almost endearing.

“I jest, brother,” Loki sighs tiredly. He doesn’t feel like having another serious conversation, but elaborates for Thor’s sake. “Never have I truly desired the throne, you know this. I am happy to see your own destiny fulfilled, sincerely.” The brunette rubs the side of his brother’s tense torso, yawning. “But there is something undeniably erotic... Knowing...” Loki looks up at Thor with a lewd smirk.

The thunderer rolls his eyes. It makes sense all at once—Loki has made it very obvious throughout the centuries that he’s attracted to strong, powerful figures. Who more powerful than the young King of Asgard? His ‘power’ virtually resides in name only (for now), but Thor sees what his brother is getting at. The fact does nothing for the blond, but whatever makes Loki happy makes Thor happy, thus he abides. “Who is insatiable now, my lovely consort?”


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and friends travel to Earth, leaving the Asgardians under the vigilant care of Brunnhilde. The Avengers are not in the state Bruce or Thor remember leaving them in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so, so happy that ppl are pleased with this fic. Your comments and engagement are what fuel my inspiration <3 I hope everyone enjoys this chapter as much as the last. 
> 
> Also, since this AU is basically a “Thanos who? I don’t know her”, I am imagining that every conflict regarding the infinity stones, no matter what movie, is just ppl scrambling for power they cannot hope to control. In other words, Loki didn’t attack New York on behalf of Thanos in this AU, But was recruited by The Other and the chitauri as an ally by coincidence when he happened upon their planet after falling from the Bifrost at the end of the first Thor movie. It’s also canon in this story that he had meant to kill himself, but ended up meeting The Other instead.
> 
> ALSO Pepper & Tony aren’t together in this AU. Along with that, if you squint really hard and tilt your head to the side, there are implications of a pre-slash between Tony & Bruce. (Being that Pepper and Tony aren’t together, Tony still has his arc reactor) This fic is focused around Thorki, though.

 

“And I thought Avenger’s Tower was overkill...” Bruce says in awe, admiring the industrial compound Heimdall transported them to. Thor is marginally offended the scientist appears more impressed by Stark’s grey facility than Asgard’s glory. Granted, it was indeed on fire, but _still_. “You guys are so lucky I’m here to mediate this.”

Being an unassumingly pacifistic ball of a rage surprisingly does nothing to support Bruce’s statement, Thor thinks. It’s more a matter of having one of the strongest among the Avengers on their side. Thor can’t see many of his teammates stepping up against the Hulk and coming out alive. This comforts him. “It is good to see they remain victorious in our absence,” the thunderer comments, impressed Midgard hasn’t fallen into ruin without her strongest protectors.

The entrance gate does not have visible security besides it’s high fence, but Bruce would be mistaken to think there aren’t cameras and whatever else Tony’s stuck outside guarding the facility. Bruce’s fingers twitch nervously above the handprint scanner placed just before the gate, half-expecting the system to deny him entry.

“ _Welcome back, Dr. Banner_ ,” a female voice greets from the nearest comm system, reminding Bruce that J.A.R.V.I.S. has been replaced. “ _I implore you to remain on the premises; Boss has been made aware of your location and will join you shortly._ ” She probably doesn’t mean to make it sound creepy, but it does.

Loki is unimpressed by the disembodied voice, squinting at the still-closed gate. “This is much less efficient than bodily guards.” Bruce definitely disagrees, but does not bother voicing his opinion since he doesn’t have much to back up his claim at the moment.

“I wouldn’t be criticizing Tony’s tech when you’re here to ask him for a ginormous favor,” the scientist points out, shoving his clammy hands into the ill-fitting clothes they provided him with on the Statesman. “I assume you’ve already given him the ‘best behavior’ talk?” he addresses Thor.

Before the blond can answer, Loki smiles mischievously at Bruce. “Are you implying I am a troublemaker?” There is more warmth in his tone than Bruce ever thought the slim god capable of, and his green eyes gleam with no malicious intent. It’s a strange sight, despite being around him for the past weeks. It makes Bruce worry about his friends’ capability of warming up to Loki, since even he is having a tough time seeing the guy as anything but the villain of the week. Still, he’s rooting for Loki, for Thor’s sake. When they’re getting along, they seem to be very good for each other.

Loki is about to say more, but catches sight of Thor and stops. Bruce curiously glances at the blond god and finds him with the expression of a man who wants to say something important but can’t find a way to articulate himself. The scientist watches the brothers blink silently at each other, almost as if communicating through expression alone, before turning back to Bruce. The exchange is as disturbing as the twins from _The Shining_.

“I hope you have your sales pitch ready,” Bruce offers when he feels obligated to keep conversation. He rubs the back of his neck and watches the cloudy sky, expecting Tony to arrive in one of his suits rather than by absurdly-expensive-car.

Remembering the annoying red machine, Loki also looks skyward. “I am famously good with my tongue.”

Thor snickers immaturely. “I did not realize you were using that method of persuasion, brother.” Loki scoffs at him and smacks the taut meat of his bicep.

“Ew.” Bruce shivers with disgust.

“As if you would let me—“ Loki ceases speaking when a red blur comes into view. Thor instinctively pulls the trickster closer and makes to mosey his way in front of Loki.

Tony lands a few yards away from them with a loud metallic smack on the asphalt. His faceplate slides up, exposing his surprised visage. He is uncharacteristically lost for words. Bruce takes a step towards him, then several. “ _Tony_.” Seeing the billionaire alive and well brings Bruce tangible relief.

Eyes flickering to the pair of gods momentarily, Tony clears his throat. “Long time no see, pal. Uh—“

Bruce plants himself right in front of his best friend with pleading eyes. “It’s a really long story. And you can lose the suit, trust me.” Tony doesn’t seem too convinced, but the suggestion sounds appealing for other reasons. “As cool as... Wow, is this _nanotech_?”

As the scientists become easily absorbed with catching up, Loki turns his attention to Thor. He traces the sharp ‘V’ shape buzzed into the blond’s hair with an unsteady finger. “Perhaps I should have waited on the Statesman with Brunnhilde... I could have glamoured myself to hide among—“

“You speak nonsense.” Thor turns to face his brother completely, gently grasping two leather-covered forearms. “As usual.” Loki presses his lips together tightly to hide a smile. “I am not ashamed of you, Loki. I stand by my promise to defend your honor, which includes making it clear you are here to stay, no matter who opposes.”

As Loki recites an equally theatric response, pulling away with unnecessary brutality, Bruce sighs at his armored friend. “This is the closest they’ve gotten to fighting,” he vouches, not at all surprised when the gods don’t notice the attention turned on them.

“That doesn’t seem too bad,” Tony offers, remembering the crazy shit Loki had spouted off on the balcony of the old Stark Tower, only half-intelligible over Thor’s comms. Which, for the record, were as difficult to put on him as a shirt on an alleycat. “Considering—“

“You’d _think_ that, right?” Bruce interrupts him, something that adds even more bizarreness to the situation for Tony. The Bruce that vanished two years ago would seldom raise his voice, let alone cut someone off. Even Tony, his best friend, was hard-pressed to find an occasion the scientist behaved anything but polite and soft-spoken, if not a complete pushover. Minus the Ultron situation, but that was an anomaly, as far as Tony’s concerned. “You’d think everyone would be better off having them bickering like a fifty year old couple, arguing about the trajectory of the ship or - or the quality of ale Loki’s conjured out of _thin air_ , but after a few hours you realize that their pettiness knows no bounds.”

“Sure, but I’ve always been a big fan of Shakespearean dramas.” Tony smiles at Bruce’s animated gestures, put at ease by his nonchalance. Seeing the most stressed, hair-trigger person he knows so unbothered by Loki’s presence has him rethinking his disposition. “Sounds like you’ve had an exciting two years. . .”

Despite how long it’s been, Bruce immediately hears the notes of betrayal and sadness in Tony’s voice, a skill that in itself warrants a pHD. “I—I wasn’t— _Tony_. . .” The scientist looks at his friend guiltily before averting his gaze. “There’s nothing I’d like more than to painstakingly recount the little vacation you seem to think I’ve been on, but. . . I believe there’s more _pressing_ matters, don’t you think?”

Tony glances at Loki, body tense under his suit. “You tell me, big guy.” It warms Bruce that his opinion still matters, even though he’s been... Indisposed. “Ignoring the fact he’s alive, Loki’s meant to be ‘facing justice’ in Candyland. Don’t tell me they let him go for good behavior.”

Cutting his tiff with Loki short, Thor draws closer to the conversation with his little brother subconsciously trailing behind. “Man of Iron, there will be no need for battle. We have come to humbly beseech you.” Neither gods are dressed for battle themselves, but Tony knows better. He’s seen both of them summon armor, as Bruce would say, _out of thin air_.

“Beseech? What, no hello for your worried teammate? You’ve been MIA, too, buddy. Not that I don’t appreciate you finally stopping by, but a little backstory would be nice, considering the circumstances,” Tony explicitly looks at the trickster god before continuing. “It’d be admirable how straight-to-the-point you are if you weren’t ignoring the elephant in the room.”

Loki addresses Tony directly for the first time, correcting him no less. “I am not this presumably Midgardian mammal of which you speak, nor are we currently in a room.” Thor, of course, sees nothing wrong with his brother’s response and nods in agreement.

Tony looks at Bruce sympathetically. “The novelty is wearing off.”

“Peace, friend Stark,” Thor pleads, the conversation ostensibly not going the way he’d hoped. “The last thing I—we wish, is to antagonize you.” The thunderer clenches his right fist and hits it diagonally on his chest with a nod, as if that means anything to Tony. Notwithstanding the culture barrier, Thor’s painfully desperate eyes affirm his claims; such expressions are universal.

Whatever the blond has come to ‘beseech’ is important and genuine, at least to Thor. “No doubt in my mind about that. You, on the other hand, Reindeer Games. . .”

Only with a wrinkle of his nose does Loki acknowledge the nickname. “I share Thor’s sentiments wholeheartedly,” Loki declares, looking pained for reasons unknown to the present Avengers. Internally, the trickster is finding it difficult to not put up his usual front of mischief and malice. He’s been guarded for so long, seriousness and diplomacy don’t come as easy as they used to. “Be it know, I rebuke my recent behavior in your realm, and I hope you can find it within yourself to graciously hear my brother’s requests.”

Whatever Tony expected Loki to say, it sure wasn’t that. He’s uncharacteristically lost for words. _Brother? Rebuke? Recent?_ The engineer rarely feels overwhelmed in regards to taking in information, but every time someone opens their mouth about ten more questions formulate in his mind. “Can—can we start with,” Tony fumbles, squinting at Thor, “the fact you told us he was _dead_?”

“Ah.” Thor looks at his brother, as if saying, ‘how much can we explain to appease him without painting you in a worse light?’ He rubs the back of his neck. “I was mistaken.”

“ _Oh_?” Tony laughs with hysteria. Bruce sets his hand on his friend’s armor-clad shoulder.

“The pretense of my death is trivial to your ‘big picture’.” Loki peers at Bruce for confirmation he’s correctly used Midgardian slang. “I served time in Asgard’s dungeons, decreed promptly upon my arrival, before Thor retrieved me to help stop your planet from the Dark Elves.”

Scoffing, Tony looks between all three of them. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? So he spent a few months in a luxury cell before you bailed him out, then faked dying so you couldn’t lock him back up?” the billionaire wagers, suspicions confirmed when Thor looks nervously to his right. “Your _humble_ _beseeching_ means jack shit to me if you zapped down here thinking I’m a complete idiot.”

A tense few moments of silence fill the air, Thor and Bruce alike racking their brains for anything to calm their friend or defend Loki. Tony rolls his eyes at their visible efforts, about to sneer something at the trickster god when Loki bravely steps forward, looking the engineer square in the eyes despite his fidgeting hands. His vibrantly green eyes shine earnestly, and Tony’s caught off guard not only by his demeanor but he could’ve sworn—weren’t Loki’s eyes a sickly blue when he—they weren’t _this_ shade, anyway—why are they suddenly so _green_ now?

“You cannot say to me, in full confidence, you have never done something that you regret. Something. . . Terrible.“ His adams apple bobs with embarrassment, a sheer flush covering the majority of his otherwise pale face. Loki frowns. “I am not the only life caught in the balance of your decision,” he says ambiguously, looking briefly at the sky. “If you must separate my association from my brother. . . Please do if the alternative is damning the whole of my people.”

Thor bites his lip in annoyance, glaring at his brother from behind. Their renewed trust is still new, but does it really mean anything if Loki doesn’t believe Thor’s promises? There was a time—particularly their childhood to young adulthood—when a few words exchanged translated into an infallible oath. It is frustrating they cannot return to that era of their relationship. How long will it take until Loki’s faith in him is restored? Is it. . . Even possible? After everything? He shakes his head minutely at these unsavory muses and focuses on Tony’s reaction to Loki’s admission.

Tony slouches a bit, eyes flickering from Bruce to Loki. The scientist gives a supporting shrug, removing his comforting hand. Tony isn’t yet privy to the aforementioned ‘long story’ that happened to his friend in the past two years, but he’s apparently spent enough time with Loki to become sympathetic to his plight. Tony isn’t the complete idiot he feels they tried to play him as—he suspects Loki’s gotten off pretty much scot-free for his crimes in New York, but Bruce’s vague corroboration earns the guy just a _smidge_ of the benefit of the doubt. Just enough for Tony to not blow him three realms back with his upgraded repulsers.

Playing Devil’s advocate, something Bruce has told Tony he confuses with empathy, leads the engineer to a heavier, more philosophical realization. Is this— _this_ being Loki standing before him, decidedly not crazy and with no future plans to take over the world—not a better outcome than putting him in shackles and leaving him somewhere dark and damp to rot? In other words, is reformation not the goal? His victims deserve justice for what Loki has done to them, but. . . With the Team unofficially disbanded, a powerful ally would be beneficial for Earth. If Loki is honest in his regret and ready to make reparations, Tony sees little issue adding him to the list of individuals to call upon when the next supervillain knocks on their door, beyond the obvious.

Mind made up, Tony takes a few steps back, before murmuring, “F.R.I.D.A.Y., business time, please.” In response, his suit dismantles swiftly, folding into a respectable, albeit shiny, briefcase. Her eagerness to please marks her as a still-new AI. J.A.R.V.I.S. would have hesitated, asked for his confirmation, but then again J.A.R.V.I.S. was there to witness the extend of Loki’s atrocities firsthand. Tony picks up the metal briefcase. “Why don’t I show you gentlemen inside?”

“Yes, please take us out of this blistering heat,” Loki huffs, wiping his brow for added effect. “You should know it’s quite rude to keep your guests on your doorstep for so long.”

If this all is an elaborate trick, Tony has to hand it to him, Loki is doing a marvelous job juggling his newfound sincerity with the snark the billionaire knows him for.

 

  
Tony has missed two meetings, lunch with the mayor, and twenty-five calls from Pepper by the time the three finish explaining what has led them here. He understands now how Bruce felt when he recounted his experience with the Mandarin. Tony feels like all he’s been doing is repeating himself when he offers condolences for Thor’s father, his hammer, and his home planet. Bruce neglected to mention, along with being long, it was a depressing, sucky story. Possibly more sucky than the events that transpired meanwhile on Earth.

“Do you even know where they are?” Bruce asks, shellshocked upon learning about the Accords and fight in Germany.

Fingers twitching for a phantom phone, Tony shrugs one shoulder. “I’ve got an idea about Wanda and Vision, and R-Rogers left me a way to contact him, but. . . It doesn’t matter, if I really wanted to know where they were, I could find them in seconds.”

“I guess we don’t have to worry about what the rest of the Team thinks about this situation then, huh?” Bruce coughs, feeling awkward that his friend hasn’t officially answered Thor’s request for habilitation.

Climbing out of his mental stupor, Tony nods at the gods poised on the couch across from him. “Yeah, sorry for leaving you on the edge of your seat like that, Pointbreak,” he smiles when the thunderer looks at his seat to inspect his positioning, “I’d be more than willing to help out you and. . . Your brother.”

Thor’s face lights up like a child’s on Yuletide. He stands suddenly, more-or-less plucking Tony out of his chair to hug the billionaire. “Oh, Stark, you have no idea the debt of which I owe you!”

“Can that debt be letting me breathe? I’m having a tough time right now,” Tony wheezes, patting Thor’s back to indicate he’d like the hug to end. He takes the hint one way or another, setting the engineer down. Tony subtly checks the arc reactor underneath his shirt to see if it cracked under the pressure of Thor’s gratitude.

“May we arrange specifics now? Discuss the stipulations and extent of your. . . Willingness to help?” Loki steers the conversation, lips upturned at the sight of his brother’s relief. “On paper, preferably.”

Frowning, Thor waves a hand dismissively at his brother. “Do not insult Stark’s generosity, Loki, with this demand of documentation.”

Loki rises, leaving Bruce the only one sitting down and therefore the odd man out. The trickster puts his hands on his hips sassily. “Do not tell me, my _King_ , that you would be so daft as to accept a verbal agreement as the literal foundation of your kingdom?”

“Can’t believe I’m saying this, but Loki’s right, Thor.” Tony walks away from the group to make himself a drink at the exposed bar, a few feet from the sitting area. “Safer to make things contractional, friend or not.”

“ _Much_ safer,” Loki agrees, still looking disapprovingly at Thor.

“Anybody want anything?” Tony asks, mixing his drink. The irony is not lost on Loki, who smiles at the ground as his arms fall to his sides. “Really? No?”

Feeding off of Loki’s responsible aura, Thor shakes his head. “The time for revelry will be after I secure a suitable location to rebuild Asgard,” he states, happy to find his darling brother no longer glaring. “Forgive me.”

Tony returns with two fingers of whiskey. “Anywhere you’re partial to? As far as ‘suitable locations’ go?” Loki and Thor turn to each other knowingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please lemme know what you think <3

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for mistakes I’ll proof read later. Lemme know what ya think


End file.
